Astrophotography can make you feel two very different things: tiny and insignificant in a vast universe or absolutely and complete amazed at our vast universe. We wouldn’t fault you for feeling either way. We’re a tiny occupier of a medium-sized planet in a universe made of billions of galaxies. That universe is stunning to behold.
For the photographers honored at the 2025 Astronomy Photographer of the Year awards, the universe is their muse. From our fiery sun to dazzling aurorae, and a sparkling Milky Way to captivating nebulae, the images capture our celestial neighborhood in beautiful detail.
500,000-km Solar Prominence Eruption
Credit: PengFei Chou / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Total Solar Eclipse
Credit: Louis Egan / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
“The ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition is now in its seventeenth year and returns with an expert panel of judges from the worlds of art and astronomy,” a statement about the honorees says. “The winners of the competition’s nine categories, two special prizes and the overall winner will be announced on Thursday 11 September.”
The Arctic Flower
Credit: Vincent Beudez / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
NGC 2997 The Antlia Cabbage Galaxy
Credit: Xinran Li / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Moonrise Over Villebois-Lavalette
Credit: Flavien Beauvais / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year LRTimelapse 7.1.0 (Windows) – UNLICENSED, no commercial use allowed!
Lunar Occultation of Saturn
Credit: Chayaphon Phanitloet / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Looking Beyond
Credit: Chester Hall-Fernandez / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Into the Past
Credit: Jim Hildreth / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year Jim Hildreth
Radiant Canopy The Lustrous Realms of the Running Chicken Nebula
Credit: Rod Prazeres / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Galactic Catch Salt and Vinegar With Your Cosmos
Credit: Paul Joels / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Fireworks
Credit: Bence Tóth, Péter Feltóti, Bertalan Kecskés / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Encounter Within One Second
Credit: Zhang Yanguang / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Comet Over Waikiki
Credit: Ran Shen / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year SHEN_RAN
Blood Moon Rising Behind the City Skyscrapers
Credit: Tianyao Yang / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Aurora Over Mono Lake A Rare Dance of Light
Credit: Daniel Zafra / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year Daniel Zafra Portill
Close-up of a Comet
Credit: Gerald Rhemann and Michael Jäger / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year
A Rainbow Mosaic of the Rosette and the Christmas Tree Nebulae
Credit: Shaoyu Zhang / ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year